Rumor Doctor: Do Rangers “Hooah”?
Our buddy, Jeff Schogol at the Stars & Stripes, known as The Rumor Doctor, for some strange reason, investigates whether Rangers say “hooah” or not;
But Rangers typically avoid saying “hooah,” said Maj. Brian DeSantis, a spokesman for the 75th Ranger Regiment. “Hooah” is considered conventional Army slang, he said, and the Ranger community just never picked it up.
Did “Black Hawk Down” have any bearing on that decision – the reason mentioned by one Ranger and his buddies?
When The Rumor Doctor started looking into “hooah” avoidance theory, the mystery deepened.
Jeff should have asked some old Rangers instead of just asking the whipper-snappers, because I remember that “hooah” started among the Rangers and spread to the rest of the Army. Probably during the time that COB6 was with them and after my time.
I think it was around 1989 when “hooah” got so out of control that the commander of the 82d Airborne Division at the time forbid the entire division from using it when he couldn’t figure out if his troops were telling him “yes, sir” or “no, sir” or “go jump off a cliff, sir”.
Category: Military issues
Ranger + Hooah…like peanut butter and jelly.
*I* cannot say the word, or think the word “Ranger” without thinking Hoo-ah!!
That’s. just. the. way. it. is.
As in: Rangers lead the way! Hooah!
We I was in B-2/75 (1975-1977) we did it.
Hooah
RLTW
I hear a lot of HOOAH! around the 6th RTB, RI’s here at Camp Rudder, FL. But perhaps we are so far into the swamp that we didn’t get the word about not using it.
“Hooah” as used around the Army in general is equivalent to the sound of a mind slamming shut.
I was in from ’88 to ’91 and never heard it used…of course, I wasn’t a Ranger either…
I think Jonn’s timeline is about right. Just prior to my arrival in 1st Batt (1982) Hooah was just beginning to establish a foothold in airborne units around the Army but was not common place. When I got to Savannah every other frigging word seemed to be hooah.
When I left the Regiment and went to the SF world I was warned about using the word hooah as it was frowned upon. I slipped a few times but then I was that crazy bastard who would actually get a haircut.
When I “re-joined” the Army in OCS (1989) the whole damn army was using it including the profile riding fat SOB in the S4 shop.
That’s about when I quit using it.
Similar to “oorah” and the Marine Corps. It supposedly starting in the Recon community, but now-a-days if you “oorah” someone in Recon or MARSOC or even STA you’ll probably get an eyeroll… maybe an “err” if you’re rank-heavy.
I really don’t recall it being used much at 1st Batt (78-80). Mainly it was RLTW or roger that.
RLTW
In early 80’s. Rangers got dropped for not saying “Hooah” with enough vigor. Can’t speak for the Regiment now though.
“Roger that” was the latest version of telling him “yes, sir” or “no, sir” or “go jump off a cliff, sir”.
I don’t remember what we used at the hospital where I was stationed. I think it might have been “mighty fine day”.
I do remember, though, that in Basic the drill sergeants didn’t like “yo, Joe!” when we were supposed to be making general noise when running to get into formation.
Now a days hooah is generally used by POGs and motards. At least the 11Bravos I served with we all despised the word. We all say Roger or rog.
“… when he couldn’t figure out if his troops were telling him “yes, sir” or “no, sir” or “go jump off a cliff, sir”.”
Wasn’t that the point? It’s lovely as a non-committal response which could mean anything from “yes” to “no” to “I question that drill sergeant’s parentage.”
I just used a series of incomprehesable grunts or rabble rabble rabble.
I had no idea it was such a recent phenomenon.
I always thought it was stupid. In basic and AIT, my company was forbidden to say it by the CO. I just never got into “hoo-ah” after that, even after I landed at my first unit. Some people said it, but not me.
“Hooah” is considered conventional Army slang, he said, and the Ranger community just never picked it up.”
Last I checked we all belong to the same Army.
DirtyMick Says:
July 15th, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Now a days hooah is generally used by POGs and motards. At least the 11Bravos I served with we all despised the word. We all say Roger or rog.
So nowadays, a term related to Esprit de Corps is considered a no-go? I said it for most of my 30 total years of service, no matter where I was.
I despise posers with no sense of pride.
I read it as a case where “hooah” became like the beret: something belonging to one sub-community was adopted by the whole, to the point that it lost whatever meaning it may have had.
Did “Black Hawk Down” have any bearing on that decision – the reason mentioned by one Ranger and his buddies?
Okay, I’ve watched the movie probably 100 times, including about 10 times with the commentary on. And I don’t have a clue what they’re talking about here.
Was there a scene where a Ranger was saying they shouldn’t say Hoo-ah? They (Rangers) say it through the entire movie.
Hooah! was around when I was in. What’s the problem? HOOAH!
But, I do enjoy tossing people a curveball by saying “garryowen”.
We sounded off with “hooah” in 187th IN and it’s a habit that hasn’t left me yet.
I do recall a TN ARNG advertisement that would inevitably play every morning on my way to PT. Talk about ate-up, the person shouting “hooah” in the background kept saying “HOO-WAH!”
Okay, I guess I should have went to the link to read the complaint:
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One former Ranger said he and his buddies vowed never to say “hooah” after the movie version of the book came out in 2001.
Not only did the actors say “hooah” too often in the movie, but they over-enunciated and made it sound over the top, said Tom Amenta, who was in the 75th Ranger Regiment between 2000 and 2004.
“Every single guy in the regiment heard every actor say ‘hooah’ on screen every five seconds, and we were all like, ‘F- this, we are not saying that anymore.’” Amenta said.
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Being a civilian, I thought nothing of this. Though, this seems pretty minor and blown out of proportion. Why would military members stop saying a traditional espirit de corps phrase simply because of how it was used in a movie?
“Hooah!” the all-purpose Army word… ’cause the Marines already took “Oorah!” and barking like a seal! (Anyone who served in ‘Nam and earlier will look at you like you’re daft and point out the Marine similarity.)
I heard a great joke as a Private about Oorah. Sadly this joke is not fit for the public, but it still makes me laugh.
When I got out Hoah was used mostly as an adjective, like “CO is excited about area beutification! That guy is WAY too Hoah.”
On the line though when you needed acknowledgment of something (in the affirmative) a quick hoah was usually called for. Mind you it wasn’t like the movies where every sentance was punctuated by hoah, but a great example would be
“Doc keep you eye on that corner!”
“hoah”
Also used were “rodger” “on it” or you wouldn’t say a thing you’d just go do whatever your NCO/Officer told you to, though most prefer an acknowledgment of SOME kind.
If the Rangers don’t say it, SO WHAT? Granted 90% of the army treats Rangers like they shit gold bricks, walk on water and kill with their swinging cod, but that doesn’t mean that has to define what the rest of the army says or does.